MatraSport Forum

Title: First long trip and another working espace!
Post by: WessexElectricNutter on December 09, 2014, 11:52:38 pm

So now I have 2 espaces on the road, both Grand ones, both insured/taxed/MOTed/etc (which don't show the tax disc as its no longer a legal requirement in this country), both ironically suffered the same problem. This one is funny.Shortly after I posted looking for a new gearstick for the diesel one, I found one from Renparts Ltd (great place for spares by the way) and as I saved up for so long trying to replace a cambelt I thought was on the way out that wasn't for the V6 (or blue espace! I need names for them, currently the silver one is called "Sonic" as it makes "Sonic" noises.). Which I sent to a garage and in about a week, they broke it. How you ask? Gear change cable fell off! It's not every day that a mechanic has to some how try and start an espace that stuck in first gear hold, they (and I) ended up pushing it... all 1.7 and a bit tons of the monster. 3 grown men, me as the weakest one managed to push it quite a distance at 4mph according to the speedo!Then I sent the other one to Portsmouth, I bet my neighbours were like "What the hell happened to the Espaces? Oh wait, they are gone.. oh good!" as one I tried to drive to the garage in what I thought was 3rd turned out to be 4th which required a LOT of planning. Certain places, like I had to go to a petrol station near me (Tescos Fishbourne) then the A27, but the bit linking the A27 and Tescos was only 300 yards. The detour I took which was flatter and required passing fewer exits was nearly 2 miles.

Then after I got both back, I had fun with the blue espace on 97 octane fuel and pressed the pedal down... NICE! It moves and then I thought "I'll see what its like taking it to work."IT got better, BMW's did not like the Espace at all, especially when I passed them with ease which must of crushed their egos.

Afterwards, Sonic went on a long trip with Nataliya (my other "half") and me which I honestly thought, as you probably worked out with the reputation Sonic has, it would break down before I got anywhere near Wales, let alone the Severn Bridge/Second Severn Crossing! For once, it did 580 miles(!) without a single problem. And better, where I went (Haverfordwest/Hwlffordd), I took it up a few hills, note we don't get hills as steep as those in the south of England. For a challenge, try "Tower Hill, Haverfordwest (http://"https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.8014308,-4.9721889,3a,75y,148.63h,83.28t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1shIvD_szOUxaNncUfdLYhng!2e0")". My first comment when I went up it in my Clio that I still have and sent it to a garage for new spark plugs was "Will it make it up the hill?", afterwards (forgetting I went up previously!) was "Will it make it up the hill?" and the Espace was "Will it make it up the hill?" which I then had to stop with 3 people in the car at the top of the hill and then... "DONK!" Yes, god knows how, I stalled a 2.2L DCi engine in first gear. Hill start anyone? Back to the classroom then.

On the way back however, it became apparent how useful the height and better visiblity of the espace makes to looking over the landscape, especially the view from the Severn Bridge!

Interestingly, the Clio costs me around £84.63 for the trip with an average of 40 to 45mpg depending if I have a leaded foot and how much Nataliya brings with her. (Excluding stop start Haverfordwest driving) And I have about nearly 1/4 of a tank left. The Espace (sonic) costs me around the same (£84), have a little left amount of fuel left but the average was about 35mpg according to the computer. Worth using as my every day car? Having said that, I managed that with all 7 seats in, a full boot on the way back, taking local roads rather than motorways in one direction (I think it loves motorways, hates local roads) and I had a range of between 650 to 700 miles which is pretty much comparable to the Clio as the Clio does between 300 and 350 miles to a tank and its a 1.2 litre petrol... if it is even that, a 1.15l petrol more like.